


Off-Limits Objects

by shnuffeluv



Series: Danger Gays: The Extras [10]
Category: Cartoon Therapy (Web Series), Sanders Sides (Web Series)
Genre: Childhood Memories, Childhood Trauma, Gen, Minor Dr. Emile Picani/Sleep | Remy Sanders, Stuffed Toys
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-18
Updated: 2020-01-18
Packaged: 2021-02-27 10:22:02
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,424
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22305616
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/shnuffeluv/pseuds/shnuffeluv
Summary: It seemed like it would be an ordinary morning, until Remy turned around and saw Dee holding Bones.
Series: Danger Gays: The Extras [10]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1462492
Comments: 15
Kudos: 96





	Off-Limits Objects

Remy’s heart leapt into their throat when they turned to greet Dee that morning to find him holding their most prized possession. Their pride and joy that they had thought they would never see again and had found through sheer dumb luck. Bones. “Where...” they swallowed, trying to keep their voice normal. “Where did you get that?”

Logan looked up from the tremble in their voice and Remy cursed themselves for not being able to hold it together. “I found it in your and Dad’s closet, ‘cause he asked me to find one of his ties,” Dee held up the tie in his other hand as proof. “I found the dog in the back of the closet, and thought that Dad might have misplaced it during the move, and he might want it back.”

“I can...I can take him,” Remy said. “Dad and I both know he’s there. It’s to keep him safe and make sure he doesn’t get torn or dirty or otherwise...damaged.”

“Oh. Why would Dad do that? Like, I didn’t think he would like stuffed animals, I didn’t think he would take anything like that and hide it away, even with Vanellope around,” Dee said.

“He’s...he’s not Dad’s,” Remy said. “He’s mine.”

“Oh. Oh!” Dee jumped and hurriedly passed Bones back to Remy. “I’m sorry!”

“It’s okay, Dee. You didn’t know, and you didn’t hurt him any,” Remy said, holding Bones close and sniffing him. He smelled like home, and the tiniest bit like Emile, doubling the feeling of home that came with the smell. They could feel tears coming to their eyes and they really wished they could keep it together, but seeing Dee holding Bones terrified them for some reason they couldn’t even describe. They knew that Dee wouldn’t steal Bones, wouldn’t take him away and never give him back.

“Dee, did you find my...tie...” Emile walked in, before rushing over to Remy. “Rem? You okay?”

Remy nodded, even though they felt like they couldn’t breathe. They were fine. Bones was fine. There was no reason to panic.

“Honey, you look like you’ve seen a ghost and you’re hyperventilating. You’re not okay. Sit down,” Emile said, pulling a stool out from the island.

Remy sat down heavily and held Bones close to their chest. “I don’t...I can’t...please. Please don’t take him away.”

“No one’s gonna take Bones away from you, Rem. I promise,” Emile said.

“Did...did I hurt him?” Dee asked.

“Them,” Logan said softly. “They today.”

Dee nodded. “Did I hurt them?”

“No, Dee, you didn’t hurt them,” Emile said. “They get like this sometimes, usually when someone new touches Bones. It took me...several years before I could touch Bones without Ami in the room, watching me. And even then it was only to clean, or make the bed.”

“Not to sound insensitive, but what’s the big deal with that stuffed dog?” Logan asked. “I don’t know how to phrase that properly, I’m not awake enough yet. But why is it so important?”

“Bones is one of the stuffed animals Ami had when they were a kid,” Emile explained.

“But...I thought you said their parents would take away anything they saw as too childish?” Logan asked.

Dee gasped. “They did  _ what?!” _

Remy flinched and Emile shushed Dee. “Short story is that Ami’s parents weren’t good to them or their brother and sister. None of you kids know the full story. I doubt  _ I _ know the full story, but I know enough to fill in the gaps. And there’s a reason Ami doesn’t talk about their parents. Just like they don’t talk about middle school. Sometimes, they don’t remember. And the times that they  _ do _ remember are straight-up hurtful.”

“My question still stands,” Logan said. “Didn’t they take away anything they thought Ami should have outgrown?”

“Yes, they did.” Emile sighed. “They took Bones, too.”

Dee gasped and Logan flinched.

“Your Uncle Toby stole Bones back and let Ami play with him in his bedroom, where no one would come looking for them. And one day, neither of them could find him. Ami was inconsolable for a while. And he missed Bones all the way into college. But then my sophomore year, we got invited to a party, where they had a white elephant, and Bones was one of the gifts. One of the people there was a family friend of Ami’s, who had a sister obsessed with stuffed animals, and the dog exchanged hands. I was actually the one to open the gift, but of course once we knew it was the same dog Ami had as a kid, I couldn’t keep him from them. That would just be cruel.”

Remy was huddled over Bones, still, just listening to the story he had been through a thousand times over, but the kids were just hearing about now. Judging by their horrified expressions, the story wasn’t as mundane as he had grown to believe.

“They kept Bones in our bedroom for a while, but when Roman came to us, they hid Bones in the closet. Not because they were worried Roman would damage Bones, but because at this time they were still trying to be ‘the cool dad.’ But they get very protective of Bones, so I have no doubt that even if Bones had been kept out in the open, he would have been off-limits to touch for a  _ while _ until they knew you kids wouldn’t take him away and never give him back.”

“I’d never take someone’s stuffed animal away and not give it back!” Dee exclaimed.

“Yeah, but because Ami had so many things they loved taken away from them at such a young age, they don’t always believe people just by their word.” Emile sighed. “So Bones is very much one of the few off-limits objects in the house. You didn’t know, so you’re not in trouble. You wouldn’t be in trouble even if you did know, unless you were doing it to hurt Ami.  _ Then _ we would be having a  _ very _ long talk.”

Logan and Dee both nodded. “Should we tell Roman, Patton, and Virgil?” Logan asked. “Not the whole story or the trauma thing, not without Ami’s permission, but explain what Bones is and why he shouldn’t be played with if discovered?”

Emile made a conflicted noise. “My first instinct is to say yes, but I also know that those three are curious, and will ask a lot of questions,” he mused. “How about I explain that to them, and you two just focus on having breakfast? And maybe make sure Ami doesn’t dissociate themselves into a panic attack.”

Logan nodded and Dee agreed softly. Emile took the tie from Dee’s hands and left, and Dee climbed up onto a stool. Remy felt their breathing start to slow and they breathed in Bones’ scent again. Bones was here, he was real, he wasn’t missing. Bones was back. And no one would ever take Bones away. “Ami?” Dee asked. “Are you okay?”

Remy sighed. “I’m getting there,” they said. “Sorry for breaking down in front of you two. I’ve worked through most of my trauma, but there’s still times where...it pops up.”

“You don’t have to apologize for having a panic attack, Ami, you and Dad have told me and Virgil and even  _ Roman _ as much countless times over the last two years.”

“It’s a little different when it’s me...” Remy said.

“Not really,” Logan replied with a shrug. “Even the calm people in charge need their moments to freak out once in a while. They can’t control everything, much as they’d like to. You got accidentally triggered. It happens. No reason to apologize.”

_ “I _ should apologize,” Dee said. “I’m the one who triggered you.”

“Not your fault, you didn’t know,” Remy sighed. They were still hugging Bones in a vice.

“It’s no one’s fault, it’s an accident. Those  _ do _ exist, unfortunate as that fact is,” Logan said. “Ami, what sorts of things would you do with Bones when you were a kid?”

“Oh, man, I did almost everything with Bones, or Toby, or both of them,” Remy laughed. “There are so many stories, I don’t know where to begin.”

“I’d like to hear some of them,” Dee said, eyes lighting up. “I’m not the best at coming up with make-believe games, but the ones others come up with are super fun.”

“Okay,” Remy said, their heart finally slowing to a normal rate. “Well, there was this one time that I was playing astronauts...”

**Author's Note:**

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